Mopar head question-Thanks

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swifter

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How come I don't see a lot of racing engines using Mopar W-9 heads??? I see in my mopar small block book that these heads are the bomb??? is it cost???? are they overkill???? Are they still made????? Thanks Steve
 
the W8/W9 is kind of a "has been" at this point, but a few mopar racers have picked up on them and run quite well. I know of one n/a W8 engine into the 8's and quite a few of them low 9's, some on pump gas. I have a 9.2 deck W8 engine sitting in my garage. I'm waiting on some spacers so I can fab up a motor plate to fit the mill to the car and then have the custom headers built, and coated before I haul the whole mess back to the engine builder for a dyno session. Cost.... well that's always subjective, but speed costs..... especially small block mopar speed!
 
SO what replaced it????? Thanks for the response -I'm learning little by little--Steve
 
We had a 9.8 W5 program previously, but decided after some "issues" that we needed to move on. We were waiting for the new E-Brock head to materialize and in the mean time a friend running some W8's convinced me to call Brett Miller.... and the ball started rolling. I bought a complete W8 top end from him with his latest port design. New R3 9.2 deck block and Molnar internals and it's slowly coming together. Presently we are having fun with our 10.9 iron head 360.
 
So if fact to be running some good times at the track there are way's guy's are doing it without the associated costs?? the other options out there can do a very good job of making power with out having to go to the Jesel rockers and other costs that make these heads work????? Am I thinking in the right perspective????? A Body what are you hoping to get out of that motor it looks likely to be a beast --Thanks Guy's
 
W9's are very expensive, but flow a ton if set up right. $1200 a head, bare, still needs a ton of work, expensive valves, head studs are out in left field(raised port studs are $1000), expensive rockers bla bla bla. They work, but they have a inflated price tag to go with them.
 
Misunderstood your "what replaced it" comment. There's actually been more builds recently using the latest "nascar" has beens.... The R5/P7 combo. The W8 is about as "exotic" as I care to get.
 
Brett Miller sells w9's CNC'ed for a pretty fair price if I am not mistaken...Can't remember if that includes valves.

There are no shelf headers, manifolds, require some mods for cooling, etc...A lot of people don't want to get into that custom stuff because it equals $$$
 
I just googled Brett Miller and came up with nothing--Steve
 
They are not for the faint of heart or wallet.
If your fabrication skills are not above average , it will get expensive in a big hurry.
Then finding gaskets will pop up.
Nothing that can't be overcome , but you just have to work a bit harder to make it happen.
I went in blind and had a couple stumbles along the way , but there is a ton of help on the forums......here and Moparts that made it possible.
 

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NICE !!!!!! I guess it's just that I bought that book building Mopar small block stroker's and he mostly points to the w9's but I read a lot of the motor's built here and you don't see a lot of guy's using them,that's how this all started !!!!! NOW I see why--Steve
 
swifter said:
NICE !!!!!! I guess it's just that I bought that book building Mopar small block stroker's and he mostly points to the w9's but I read a lot of the motor's built here and you don't see a lot of guy's using them,that's how this all started !!!!! NOW I see why--Steve
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There's still a lot of unknown with them, the valve train is very expensive, intakes are $4-600 on average, and it piles up. To really take advantage of them a stock block is not a good idea. I've actually got W9 heads done by Brett Miller, plan on selling them once they're finished out. I just plain lost interest.
 
If you are going to the expense , then an R block is the obvious choice.
I got very lucky with my intake......300.00 from a guy on Rackingjunk.com
I scored the UGL cam billet from Mancini when they sold off their stock for a hunnert and I should have bought all they had.
The rockers are T&D , new through Competition Products.
Had the heads ported locally , but Brett is definitely on top of the W-9 and W-8 game and I would use him in a minute of I do this again.
I went with a fairly conservative approach with mine since it will see street duty........I wanted stronger low to mid lift numbers and am happy with the results.
Another consideration with these and your intake choice is going to be block deck height.
Ryan at Shady Dell is also a good source for parts and information.
I got my valley plate from him for 75 bucks and it is a nice piece......a better option than bending up some .060 sheet I think.
Also scored my head stud kit and roller lifters through him.
He has also been very generous with his time and tips. I had more than a couple stupid questions as I went along. :D
 
This was never about Me and Zach using them (see my original question) but why the W9's are not a everyday use kind of thing,Like I said I've had my head buried in the building small block stroker book and the author talks a lot about W9's and I was wandering why you don't see more guy's using them,lot's of good info here.Thanks Steve
 
"If your fabrication skills are not above average...."

I'd be the poster child for that comment! Still scratching my head on the motor plate deal. You don't just grab a catalog and order up a plate for an 9.2 deck R3 running a weber belt drive. I'm also fortunate to be 50 miles from a great header builder which is going to run about $1400.
 
swifter said:
This was never about Me and Zach using them (see my original question) but why the W9's are not a everyday use kind of thing,Like I said I've had my head buried in the building small block stroker book and the author talks a lot about W9's and I was wandering why you don't see more guy's using them,lot's of good info here.Thanks Steve
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Edelbrock syndrome ;)
 
A body said:
"If your fabrication skills are not above average...."

I'd be the poster child for that comment! Still scratching my head on the motor plate deal. You don't just grab a catalog and order up a plate for an 9.2 deck R3 running a weber belt drive. I'm also fortunate to be 50 miles from a great header builder which is going to run about $1400.
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That really isn't bad. The un welded kit from Stahl was 500.00 , the flanges were 80.00 and the coating was 200.00 and a nice knife in trade for mine.
But given the hours I have in them ( over 40 I'd say ), that is not bad at all.
But it does require a lot of head scratching unless you have done it before.
Part of the charm is the unique aspect of the build.
I know I will be the only kid on the block with one for sure. :glasses8:
 
REF in Kingman AZ.... I'll set up an appointment, drop the car off before work, and he'll have it done that day. Greg does some outstanding work! ....and absolutely no complaints about the price! He said he'd model them after my hedman hustlers. 2" to 2 1/8 to 3.5 collector. After that I'll have to haul them down to Lake Havasu and have them coated.
 
Test fit , then coat. I wound up having to modify one tube after I thought I was finished......it was too close to a U joint in the steering for my liking.
Easy enough fix , but also avoidable.
 
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